Miller’s Experiences Pays Off for ALMS Attica Win; Brubaker Gets Last Lap Pass for 305 Victory; Ward Claims 4th truck Win
By Brian Liskai: (Attica, OH) Any dirt track race driver will tell you spending time on the road, competing night in and night out against stiff competition prepares you mentally for any situation or race series. Such was the case for Whitehouse, Ohio’s Matt Miller, who captured the Sunoco American Late Model victory at Attica Raceway Park Friday on Pepsi/ Bazell Race Fuels/ True Value of Woodville Night.
Miller drove under Ronnie Perrin Jr. on the seventh lap and held off late race challenges from Dusty Moore for his second career Attica victory.
“You learn how to run hard on a consistent basis when you’re out on the road competing against the guys we’ve raced against,” said Miller beside his M&W Auto Body/McCullough Industries backed #7. “This is the most we’ve run with these guys (ALMS) in awhile…all that time has finally paid off.”
Helena, Ohio’s Stuart Brubaker used a last lap, last corner pass of Bryan Sebetto to score his first career victory at ARP in the 305 sprint feature.
“I knew I was a little better than him on the bottom. I drove it hard into three and we bumped a little, but hey…that was for the win,” said Brubaker beside his Gressman Powersports, Brubaker Auction Servcies, Advanced Speciality Contractors backed #35.
Sandusky’s Cory Ward is living a dream. He led the final 10 laps of the dirt truck feature to record his fourth win of the season at Attica and his seventh overall this season (he has three wins at Fremont Speedway). It was Ward’s ninth career victory at “Ohio’s Finest Racing” speedplant as he is now the career leader in wins in that division.
“These trucks have been so easy to drive…my dad, uncle, grandpa…everyone works so hard on these trucks all week and that makes my job a whole lot easier,” said Ward beside his Budweiser, Hiser’s Transmissions, Precision Body & Frame, Lakeshore Drywall backed #18w.
ImageIn the 30-lap late model main, Perrin jumped into the early lead but quickly had his hands full with Doug Drown, Jerry Bowersock and Miller. Following two quick cautions on laps three and four, Perrin again moved out front, but it was short-lived, as Miller, who started fourth, drove under for the lead exiting turn two on lap 7.
As the race went green the rest of the way, Miller’s only challenge was lapped machines. The car on the move was Moore, who started 7th and was fourth by lap six and after a great battle with Bowersock, moved into second on lap 11. He closed to Miller’s bumper in heavy traffic by lap 19. However, Miller was able to work his way through the crowd of cars and pulled away for the win. Moore, a fast-closing Rusty Seaver (up from 13th), Rusty Schlenk and Drown rounded out the top five.
“The car was too tight on the bottom and that hurt me in traffic. I had to search around for a better groove..again, that’s where that experience pays off,” said Miller.
ImageIn the exciting 305 sprint feature, Dustin Dinan grabbed the early lead and pulled away following two early race yellows. Brad Haudenschild stayed close the first three laps before spinning while running second. The car on the move early was rookie Nate Dussel who came from 7th to the runner-up spot by lap five. By lap 7, the sixth row starters Sebetto and Brubaker started their charge, moving into third and fourth.
Sebetto would grab second on lap 11 and Brubaker would follow into third by lap 13. Just as Dinan entered lapped traffic, Sebetto would drive under him to grab the lead. Again, Brubaker followed, moving into second on lap 16. With just four laps remaining, Brubaker began closing on Sebetto who had a few problems in traffic. Going down the backstretch on the final lap, Brubaker got a run on Sebetto who slipped off the bottom ever so slightly. Brubaker stuck the nose of his sprinter under Sebetto…the two banged wheels and Brubaker won the drag race off the final corner for the win. Sebetto, Dinan, Travis Hoffbauer and Dussel would round out the top five.
ImageThe 15-lap truck feature saw four drivers battle for the top spot throughout the race. Dan Henning led the first four laps before Ward took over. While Ward was on cruise control, Henning, Steve Endicott and Brian Arnold waged a terrific battle for second. When the checkered flew, Ward had a eight track length advantage over Henning, with Endicott, Arnold and Dave Gibbs rounding out the top five.
Attica Raceway Park will be back in action Sunday, June 22 for the first night of the University of Northwest Ohio Sprint Speedweek featuring the O’Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions. Gates open at 4 p.m. with racing heating up at 7:30 p.m. on Aarons Sales and Lease/Ohio CAT Night.
Attica Raceway Park (6-20-08)
Pepsi/Bazell Race Fuels/True Valu of Woodville Night
Sunoco ALMS Late Models
Heat 1 – Tin Lizzy Collision (10 laps, top 4 transfer to A-Main)
1. 12D-Doug Drown; 2. 20J-Jerry Bowersock; 3. 29-Rocky Owens; 4. 18S-Rusty Seaver; 5. 12-Michael Stiltner; 6. 3R-Chuck Rolle (R); 7. 12C-Bill Clapp Jr.; 8. 12H-Jeff McCoy
Heat 2 – Ultra Shield Race Products (10 laps, top 4 transfer to A-Main)
1. 11-Rusty Schlenk; 2. 2D-Curtis Deisenroth; 3. 5M-Ryan Markham; 4. 5H-Ernie Haynes; 5. 1-Jim Fleming; 6. 1M-John Mayes Jr.; 7. 83-Noah Wagner (R); 8. 9C-Troy Cattarene; 9. B4U-Brad Eitnear
Heat 3 – Bell Racing (10 laps, top 4 transfer to A-Main)
1. 7-Matt Miller; 2. 40-Dusty Moore; 3. 49-Brian Ruhlman; 4. X3-Dan Wallace; 5. 23C-Jeremy Canada; 6. 1N-Casey Noonan; 7. 88D-Larry Kingseed; 8. 50-Ryan Missler; 9. 117-Kevin Reeve
Heat 4 – Friendship Food Stores (10 laps, top 4 transfer to A-Main)
1. OJ-Ronnie Perrine Jr.; 2. 34-Ky Harper; 3. 77-Steve Kester; 4. 53-Hillard Miller; 5. 84-Tim Sabo; 6. 48-John Bores; 7. 23V-Ryan Vanderven; 8. 45-Mike Marteney
B1-Main – Computer Man Inc. (10 laps, top 2 transfer to A-Main
1. B4U-Brad Eitnear; 2. 12-Michael Stiltner; 3. 9C-Troy Cattarene; 4. 83-Noah Wagner (R); 5. 12C-Bill Clapp Jr.; 6. 3R-Chuck Rolle (R); 7. 12H-Jeff McCoy; 8. 1M-John Mayes Jr.; . 15B-Mike Bores
B2-Main – Computer Man Inc. (10 laps, top 2 transfer to A-Main
1. 1N-Casey Noonan; 2. 23C-Jeremy Canada; 3. 88D-Larry Kingseed; 4. 48-John Bores; 5. 45-Mike Marteney; 6. 23V-Ryan Vanderven; 7. 84-Tim Sabo; 8. 117-Kevin Reeve
A-Main Starting Position [#]
1. 7-Matt Miller[4]; 2. 40-Dusty Moore[7]; 3. 18S-Rusty Seaver[13]; 4. 11-Rusty Schlenk[3]; 5. 12D-Doug Drown[2]; 6. 20J-Jerry Bowersock[5]; 7. OJ-Ronnie Perrine Jr.[1]; 8. X3-Dan Wallace[15]; 9. 53-Hillard Miller[16]; 10. 1N-Casey Noonan[18]; 11. 5M-Ryan Markham[10]; 12. 49-Brian Ruhlman[11]; 13. 2D-Curtis Deisenroth[6]; 14. 29-Rocky Owens[9]; 15. 23C-Jeremy Canada[20]; 16. 12-Michael Stiltner[19]; 17. 77-Steve Kester[12]; 18. 5H-Ernie Haynes[14]; 19. B4U-Brad Eitnear[17]; 20. 23V-Ryan Vanderven[22]; 21. 9C-Troy Cattarene[21]; 22. 34-Ky Harper[8]
305 Sprints
Heat 1 – All Pro Heads (8 laps, top 5 transfer to A-Main)
1. 36X-Dustin Keegan; 2. 14-Chad Wilson; 3. 35-Stuart Brubaker; 4. 82-Travis Hoffbauer; 5. 47-Josh Muntz; 6. 29-Chris Lang; 7. 11F-D.J. Foos (R); 8. 65-Mark Lang; 9. 15H-Mitch Harble
Heat 2 – Ultra Shield Race Products (8 laps, top 5 transfer to A-Main)
1. 5-Dustin Dinan; 2. O1-Bryan Sebetto; 3. 1-Nate Dussel; 4. 22D-Dan Hammond; 5. 25P-Mark Pridemore; 6. 67M-Matt Ferrell; 7. X-Dustin Stroup (R); 8. 28-Shaun Valenti (R); 9. 23-Willie Keegan
Heat 3 – Bell Racing (8 laps, top 5 transfer to A-Main)
1. 49-Coty Runion; 2. 9Z-Duane Zablocki; 3. 10-Brad Haudenschild; 4. 40-Bobby Clark; 5. 9-Jimmy Colvin; 6. 3X-Brad Keckler; 7. 8K-Zack Kramer (R); 8. 11-Shawn Colvin; 9. O4-Cap Henry
B-Main – Computer Man Inc.
1. 67M-Matt Ferrell; 2. 11F-D.J. Foos (R); 3. 29-Chris Lang; 4. 28-Shaun Valenti (R); 5. X-Dustin Stroup (R); 6. 23-Willie Keegan; 7. 11-Shawn Colvin; 8. 3X-Brad Keckler; 9. 65-Mark Lang; 10. 8K-Zack Kramer (R); 11. 15H-Mitch Harble
A-Main Starting Position [#]
1. 35-Stuart Brubaker[12]; 2. O1-Bryan Sebetto[11]; 3. 5-Dustin Dinan[1]; 4. 82-Travis Hoffbauer[6]; 5. 1-Nate Dussel[7]; 6. 40-Bobby Clark[9]; 7. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[10]; 8. 49-Coty Runion[4]; 9. 25P-Mark Pridemore[14]; 10. 11F-D.J. Foos (R)[17]; 11. 14-Chad Wilson[8]; 12. 47-Josh Muntz[13]; 13. 36X-Dustin Keegan[3]; 14. 67M-Matt Ferrell[16]; 15. 22D-Dan Hammond[5]; 16. 28-Shaun Valenti (R)[19]; 17. X-Dustin Stroup (R)[20]; 18. 10-Brad Haudenschild[2]; 19. 9-Jimmy Colvin[15]; 20. 29-Chris Lang[18]
Dirt Trucks
Heat 1 – Tin Lizzy Collision
1. 18W-Cory Ward; 2. P51-Paul Brown Jr.; 3. 17-Bob Dible; 4. 91-Roger Inks; 5. 84-Russ Stahl; 6. 62-Dave Severs
Heat 2 – Ultra Shield Race Products
1. 8-Steve Endicott; 2. 32H-Dan Hennig; 3. O1-Art Ball; 4. 33-Brian Arnold; 5. 30-Dave Gibbs; 6. 56-Alex Wiechman
A-Main Starting Position [#]
1. 18W-Cory Ward[3]; 2. 32H-Dan Hennig[2]; 3. 8-Steve Endicott[6]; 4. 33-Brian Arnold[8]; 5. 30-Dave Gibbs[10]; 6. 17-Bob Dible[1]; 7. P51-Paul Brown Jr.[4]; 8. 84-Russ Stahl[9]; 9. 91-Roger Inks[7]; 10. 62-Dave Severs[12]; 11. O1-Art Ball[5]; 12. 56-Alex Wiechman[11]